


Remember the Plan!

by FandomSupporter15



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Big Hero 6: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Male-Female Friendship, No Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-07-02 02:17:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15786906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomSupporter15/pseuds/FandomSupporter15
Summary: Karmi has a theory that her mysterious hero might be her academic rival Hiro Hamada. It’s up to Hiro and his friends to cover his identity, but unknowingly to them Karmi brought a friend to help her.





	1. New Recruitment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve recently joined the BH6 fandom since they launched their TV series this summer! I’m enjoying the series very much which is exciting and sad all over again, like my first reaction to the movie my family and I went to see its opening night.
> 
> Which was back in 2014...? Damn, has it been that long?
> 
> *Flashed back to the Tangled and ROTBD fandom*
> 
> Anyway, I been keeping up with the series and one of their new character had been introduced, much to my small disagreement, inspiration came to me to create this! 
> 
> So I hope you guys like what I write!

In the barely lit room lay many broken gears, lonely screws and bolts, and some machines that were broken or never finished. It was an abandon lab where it also have a small room originally used for testing subjects while the scientists are outside of it, behind a double-shield glass.

The interview is taking place where the employer is inspecting the applicator, where they’re inside the small subject room. 

“So what quality you have to fit the job?” a modify voice muffle from the other side of the room.

“I can act like anybody you need. Y’know, any high school student, college, even middle school students.” The applicator answer with strictness in their tone. They sits at a table with a chair the room provided underneath a badly source of light.

“But you’re already a student… both student at a high school and college.” The interviewer looks down at the paper that’s supposedly her resume. “But you’re not a student I’m looking for.”

“What?!” They got up from the chair and slams hand on the table. “You said you need a student!”

“Oh yes… I did say that.” Behind the tinted glass, the tall figure move around and place a hand on his chin. “But why would I need an _art_ student?”

“W-We’re known for having eyes for details. We can complete whatever project we set on our mind to.” The interviewer straightened themselves to show determination. Although the tinted glass hides his expression, the young applicator can sense he need more than broadening other artists. They need to convince that they’re the special individual.

“I’m not like any typical artist, for I have a photographic memory… anything I see, I can print down to the exact detail in a sketchbook.”

“Sorry, but drawing and coloring isn’t really gonna work with this mission. I need someone who has a more, _scientific_ approach.” The mysterious figure extend an arm to press a button.

Randomly a small door above the ceiling of the subject room, appears a small gadget bringing itself down, leveling with the applicator’s eyes. It was a threatening form of a laser gun that rotated itself, and the top glows a bright pulsating purple light.

The small laser gun pointed at the interviewee who’s shaking at the boots.

“I suggest that you take a leave before I have to do something despicable.”

“W-Wait!” They scream in fear as the purple light begins to get brighter.

This can’t be the end so soon. What did the man mean a _scientific approach_? First he said ( _vaguely_ ) he needed a student... but an art student won’t cut it. What the heck did he mean?!

 _scientific_ approach...

Read between the line, read between the line, read… between—

Two eyes widen at the hidden message. He meant someone that’s a SFIT student, the college for all the scientists! Of course! What other top science and tech school is there in this city?!

“I can assure you I can get what you need!” They shout out their last reason before the laser could even function itself to shoot. “You mean a student to SFIT?! Okay, I got you! I HAVE CONNECTION TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL!”

After that last attempted in reasoning, the laser tip dial down the brightness. After it stopped pulsating it’s threatening color, it raised itself up to ceiling and god-knows-where above it. They watch the door above closed themselves once the gun was out of sight.

The interviewee took a deep breath and place a hand on their chest.

“So a photographic memory, a special trait you possess?” He raise his hand away from the button.

“Y-Yeah,” They exasperate a bit. “Any blueprint I can copy down; from their concept sketch to any inventors side notes they make.”

Nothing else was said as the man just stood there, not breaking the silent either. No humming, small comment, nothing.

This interview just might as well be over.

But the next thing caught her off guard in more than one way.

One side of the older’s man face lights up momentarily in a radiant purple, similarly to the laser gun not too long ago. The interviewee was able to capture half the face shape of the man on the other side of the glass.

“Explain your connection with the school. Depending on your answer, you will be hired.”

“I’m friends with one the SFIT students.  We go way back as we’re childhood friends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mainly gonna be friendship fluff, little to no romance will be written. There are gonna be some bits that you’ll see it as ‘shipping moments,’ but once I get most of the story written, you’ll see why.
> 
> But for sure, it’s mainly friendship and humor!


	2. The Hypothesis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was all a mundane routine, but she loves it nonetheless.
> 
> Except this particular part of today… the usual routine might be taking a different turn for the unexpected.

“We bring you another breaking news. Another criminal got captured by none other than Sans Fransokyo’s heroes: Big Hero 6.” The news anchorman reads off the words said on the monitor screen behind the camera and away from the set.

This morning news was another story about a typical criminal hijacking a motorcycle, with a duffle bag in its side car. Once the heroes successfully capture the bad guy and obtained the bag, inside it was stacks of paper full of bank documents with every citizens’ social security numbers and credit scores.

“And now we give you an exclusive clip of our heroes interview.” He signs off with a small square that includes the interview. The small square then expand itself, taking over the screen, and begin the video for the viewers to watch.

The person, watching the news from her kitchen away from the living room, begin swooning when the video clip began playing. Each heroes got a chance to answer the journalist’s questions, leaving the smallest member to be the last to answers. The smallest hero of the group was wearing a black bodysuit but didn’t cover his ankles and tech armor of purple, black, and bits of red. He’s the watcher’s main focus before the clip ended and the camera returns to the anchorman.

“God, he so dreamy…” She purrs as she place her chin on the palms of her hands, her elbows place on the kitchen counter to uphold her open hands. The watcher is none other than biotech scientist, SFIT student, and second youngest genius to attend SFIT, Karmi. 

At first it was simply admiration for the heroic actions each member pulled off when fighting against all kind of evil. But when she was saved from a falling lamppost by the small guy in the black and purple hero gear, her admiration turned into a huge crush for her mysterious rescuer. She has yet to see who is underneath the headgear, but nonetheless she’ll accept it with her own two open arms.

Her dreamlike trance broke when she heard and felt her phone vibrate against the ivory kitchen counter. Karmi snapped out of it to pick it up, pressing the home button to see her alarm clock is going off. Tapping the stop button on her screen it brighten itself to reveal the time; 6:30AM.

“Better text mom.” She talks to herself, slipping off her chair and gets ready for school. She changed out of her pajamas into her casual outfit of a cashmere turtleneck sweater, orange pleated skirt with black capris leggings underneath, and black flats. The brunette also then tied her back into a ponytail and put on her magenta earrings and a couple of bracelets for her wrist. Before leaving the kitchen completely, she grabbed a breakfast bar out of the cabinet and put it in her backpack.

Soon she is out of the house with her backpack and house key in her hand.

The brunette next went with her usual routine; go to school, head to her personal lab, occasionally give her rival Hiro Hamada the stink eye whenever they crossed path, study her viruses buddies and do the usual checkup, and lastly spend the day reading through textbooks about the human body and viruses. Sometimes she would take a break and look up past videos of Big Hero 6.

It was all a mundane routine, but she loves it nonetheless.

Except this particular part of today… the usual routine might be taking a different turn for the unexpected.

** LUNCHTIME: **

Karmi spent the morning in her personal lab gathering her textbooks. With the high stack of seven different science encyclopedia books, she still need to bring a couple of more things like her laptop and her personal journal. 

She was too focus on gathering her stuff, she misplace the small journal on top of the stack while looking away. Which leaned itself over and fell to the floor. The brunette didn’t notice until she heard a loud thump on the wooden floor.

“Oh shoot!” She exclaimed and at her fallen journal. Immediately the young biologist walk up to the item and pick it up from the floor.

The way the small journal fell, it opened itself as it landed on the floor. Karmi examine the page that uncovered itself. The page that opened was a detail sketch of her mysterious hero from the head down to his shoulders.

She caress it gently and stares at her drawing with such adoration.

“How cool it would be if we meet again?” She ponder to herself and coming up with various (romantic) scenario of their next encounter. Giving the page one more loving look before closing it, she closes the book and placing it back on her stack of textbooks, this time more securely.

Grabbing ahold of her laptop as well with the stack, she made her way to the cafeteria.

When she carefully walkthrough the entrance to the large room, the brunette was unknowingly passing by the boy who stole her title of ‘youngest genius of SFIT’, and his friends’ table.

“ _Come on~!_ ” Cried out a young man with light brown chin-lengths hair that’s covered partly by a turquoise beanie hat on his head.

The biotech student nonchalantly turn her head to the owner of that whine.

The guy who’s wearing the beanie is also wearing a red t-shirt with a Japanese kanji symbol on the center, a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, moss green cargo shorts, and a pair of worn-out sneakers.

She had seen him around the campus either with his friends or in his mascot costume, usually spreading weirdness to other students at the quad. She doesn’t have much knowledge or an opinion on the beanie-wearer for, what she heard, he’s not a student here nor does he major in anything science-related. So Karmi passes him off as some regular schoolmate, of some sort.

“How cool would it be to have my hero costume shoot out fire, from _my_ _claws_?!” He excitedly pantomime finger guns to his lunch table peer.

What?

The biotech student then turns her whole body toward the direction of where he and his friends are sitting at. She suddenly was intrigued what the mascot-wearer is going on about.

“You already have fire power as it is.” A Korean women immediately shuts down her friend’s idea. She’s another person Karmi has no knowledge on except for the athletic clothes she wears, knowing she’s most likely a tough women with the purple streak in her hair.

“She’s right. The suit I invented for you already reached it capacity of chemical heat in the fire gauges.” Hiro explains bluntly to his non-science friend. “Plus, upgrading your suit would take weeks, which is bad timing when criminals appear on our radar quicker than expanding a suit’s capacity.”

Criminals? Hero suits? Fire?

“Not to mention, you’d be dying in that suit.” A tall-built black man adds in his two cents. “And do you know how smelly your costume will be? Work sweat is disgusting in itself and no one wants to go near that.”

“Also… you would probably die accidentally inhaling the chemical mixture if it leaks or overflows the fire gauge.” Said a tall thin girl with strawberry blonde hair, carefully adding in another risk factor.

“It’ll be so worth it! Not only will I _literally_ be spitting hot fire, _I’m shooting it…!_ ” The light-brown haired man explains the interesting possibility, saying the last part in secrecy and mischief. He also begin making noises similar to a laser gun.

While the group was too deep into their hero conversation… Karmi was another situation. 

Her brown eyes widen in question. Not sure how to handle this questionably new information right here, she abandon her usual routine to her lunch table by making a U-turn, exiting the cafeteria, and made a beeline to her laboratory.

“Hero costume? What is that cocky nerd talking about?” Karmi began pacing in circle as she mutter to herself. She prompt her arms and knuckle to a deep thinking posture, continuing her thought process.

Looking back to the Big Hero 6’s first appearance in this city, she distinctly remember seeing a blue and yellow Kaiju-like monster costume, who is the most conceal costume to disguise the person controlling it, being out and about with the other heroes. This lead her to examine the other members. The one in the yellow suit with wheels attached to her ankles could be the athletic Korean, The green suit that possess the electric blue plasma blades has got to be the tall man with the dreadlocks, the tall one in the pink suit with a weaponized purse is most likely the tall blonde with the round glasses, and the small team leader in purple-

“No no no no no! _NO_!” Karmi whispers in pure horror. She immediately walked over to her work table where she place the textbooks once she entered the lab. Carefully grabbing from the stack is her small journal. She already opened it and rapidly flipping pages until she finds the one she need to see. When she finally lands on the page that have her drawing, she gasp at the similarity. Although her art style really differentiate from the possible actual person.

The brunette then look back again with not only their first appearance but also her first interaction with the team’s smallest member. He had spoken to her, but the helmet muffled his voice, and the face shield was saturated with orange that can hardly decipher the facial features.

So there’s no way…! Right?

Hiro’s friend group can’t be the same group of Big Hero 6! If that’s true… then that would mean Hiro is her mysterious hero… which also means— Ugh, no way. NO! 

At this point her head was swimming with the mass information cramming into her brain. She needs a seat, sit down, lay back… and breathe.

The brunette basically crash down on her swiveling chair.

“So… based on what Hiro and his friends were talking about earlier…” She form a hypothesis in her head based on the event of today. “Then that means they have to be Big Hero 6, because what other heroes are there in Sans Fransokyo? Also, what other people could be identified as young people, most likely in college?” This is making it worse for her mental stability. She needs to talk to someone. Anyone that’s not associated with Hiro Hamada or his friends.

“What do you think, A-1011?” She weakly turns to one of her contained petri-dishes, knowing it can’t answer her question. No, she really needs to talk to another human being. Someone she can vent, grieve, and maybe rant a bit about the issue.

In strange and perfect timing her phone vibrates against the table. Karmi grabs on the side of her work table to slide her chair alongside it to be closer to her phone. She picks it up and check on its light-up screen, seeing someone is trying to call her. When she read the caller ID, she let out a huge sigh of relief when she instantly who’s name it belongs to.

Her finger taps the accept option and wait to hear the voice from the other end.

“Hey Karmi! It’s been a while.” A cheery voice is heard through once the wireless call is connected.

“Oh thank goodness! You are such a lifesaver right now.” The biotech genius dramatically praise for her long-term friend. “I have a favor to ask…” 

“What a coincidence! I need a favor from you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Karmi is about to no longer have the Lois Lane Syndrome! What will she do next?


	3. Karmi’s Best Friend

“Would your principle really allow this?”

 

“ _Dean_ of the school.” Karmi corrects her friend. “And yes. It’s the perks of having a good relationship with your _boss_ of Sans Fransokyo Institute of Technology.” She lead her friend to the door that lead to an office that belongs to Ms. Granville, or students mainly call her Professor Granville.

The two teens approach the door with the biologist lightly knocking against the brown wood.

“Come in!” A regal voice responds to the knocking.

Karmi opens the door and the two walk into the office. She greets the adult with a smile and kept it on when the older woman turn her office chair to meet the biologist.

“Hello Karmi.” Prof. Granville’s eyes then shift to the the young student’s companion. “Who might this be.”

The person next to the brunette is a Chinese-American girl that’s shorter than the other—maybe the same height as SFIT now youngest student, with mass of short black hair in a short asymmetrical-bob hairstyle with bangs framing one side of her heart-shaped face. On her face is a pair of electric blue eyes, a small nose, and small pink lips. The clothes she have on her thin body is a long-sleeved shirt of a simple blue with thin white stripes on the top portion, a pair of black skinny jean, and black converse shoes.

“This is my best friend Michelle Shen. She’s gonna be living with me and my mother for a while...and being that she would be alone at home with my mother at work and me attending here. I thought that it would be okay that she sticks with me for the time being.” The second youngest genius explains with a wide smile and perky voice, hoping the dean and teacher would allow this. She uses the plastered smile technique that is the equivalent to puppy eyes.

Prof. Granville raises an eyebrow, shifting her eyes back and forth between Karmi and Michelle. Pursing her lips together, the woman takes her sweet time deciding whether to be in favor of her young SFIT student.

“How can I be sure that you won’t be a distraction to my students?” She ask the small girl with a strict tone.

“I’m usually quiet most of the time… you don’t have to worry about me wandering around, I can stay in one spot because I mainly work on my drawings... to build up my art portfolio…” Michelle couldn’t continue to meet the intimidating eyes of SFIT’s Dean. She move her focus down at her feet until she finish her explanation.

Her brunette friend nudge her arm that goes unnoticed by the adult, supporting her. Michelle subtly returns the favor.

“An artist?” The copper-skinned woman grows suspicious of her student’s companion.

“She’s incredibly talented! She recently won a university’s art competition, winning a scholarship to the best art school in Sans Fransokyo!” The biotech student compliments her with an upbeat attitude she usually used to please the Dean during her present, but this time is truly genuine.

“Are planning to take that art school after high school?”

“Yeah, as of right now I’m taking some of their college classes online.” She briefly mentioning her other source of education. “I really like the Sans Fransokyo of Art Institute.” After saying that, Michelle sense a change in the older woman’s judgement as she narrow her eyes. Hopefully not directly to the small Asian.

“SFAI… the school of a emotional, fictional, and illogical environment.” She speak of the school with spiteful description. Unknown to the scholar artist that SFAI is the illogical counterpart of SFIT, and the fact that they’re also arch rivals.

Karmi and Michelle glance at each other nervously. The biotech genius completely forgot to tell her about that one small detail, before coming onto campus today.

“I… didn’t know you got a, um, vendetta with SFAI.”

“To be honest I don’t and neither does the other students... at least most of them don’t. We may have our differences, but I have friends that teaches at your school like the one who is the director of the online program.”

“Mr. Paiden.” Michelle shyly grins coming from the small surprise reaction from the adult. “He’s my teacher for the moment. You know, for the online classes.”

The surprise reaction wasn’t from the small girl’s remembrance, but from the association when she said his name.

Prof. Granville remember meeting with her friends and colleagues at a bar one night. All of the adults there were praising students who were ‘geniuses’ in their in respective schools, along with gossiping amongst their schools. A memory popped into her head of hers and Prof. Paiden’s conversation about their own young geniuses attending their colleges, leading to the art director mentioning meeting a young high school girl who won his contest, and took a picture of them and her winning artwork. The Dean put two and two together and is impressed, to say the least.

“So you’re the genius artist I’ve heard about.” The woman observe with a smirk on her lips. “Prof. Paiden had told me a bit about you.”

“R-Really…?” The artist replied hesitantly. Both the teen girl’s were taken aback for different reasons, but nevertheless hope this could be in their favor.

“Yes, and I would love to see your work someday. After all he did, in fact, told me that he got himself a ‘young genius’ into his program.”

“I don’t have my sketchbook on me, but I will show it to you next time we meet.” Michelle afterward thought, ‘If you allow me to be here… something close as an actual student.’

“Better not let Mr. Paiden down then.” She awkwardly chuckles.

Soon it all came down with the Dean finally making the decision. The adult in the room straighten her back, laced her fingers together and place them on her desk, and calmly inhale and exhale air through her nose. She face both girls with a straight face with no reading of any advantage.

“You must behave well when you’re on my campus and you cannot enter any classes, unless a teacher say so. I have someone who been an exception to be here who I also gave the same conditions to.”

Karmi face masked into a professional blank face, but she knows what the results are.

“You may take your leave now.”

* * *

 

“This is great!” Karmi pump her fists in the air as both teens leave the office. One is ecstatic while the other one can finally breathe. “There’s so many thing we can do together here and at home!”

“The Dean… my god…” The Chinese girl place a hand on her heart and steady the pace of her inhales. “Man...she got something that got me spooked.”

“But in the end, I think she came to like you. You got an assignment from her, which is a good thing.” The brunette smirks all knowingly that Prof. Granville will be blown away by the artist’s latest work. “And that makes you technically a student here.”

“Well, since I’m technically a _new student_.“ The Chinese-American air quote the two words. “I should be getting a tour around here, right?” This hype the biotech girl more.

“Heck yeah!” Karmi unintentionally quicken her pace, excited to show off the school and her biotech lab. The smaller girl had to speed walk to catch up and match her friend’s pace.

“So… Are you gonna tell about this favor you need?”

Before Michelle moved in to live with Karmi and her mother, both claimed they need help from each other. So the brunette was able to help her first after their conversation ended.

The phone conversation:

_“You’re a lifesaver! I need a favor from you.”_

_“What a coincidence. I need a favor from you too.”_

_Karmi’s head was still hurting from the possibility of a shocking discovery, but fortunately it lessen over time when her best friend called._

_“Really? What is it?” The biotech student let the Chinese-American go first, because after all, she’s the one who called first. Then she began to get worried when she hear a deep breath from the phone._

_“Is it okay… If I live with you for awhile?” Her brown eyes widen in shock._

_This is the strangest favor she ever been asked. Granted that the two girls haven’t been in contacted since Karmi left the high school to attend SFIT. Not sure how to respond, she hummed long enough to send the artist a message for some context._

_“...My family need to move away from Sans Fransokyo and the problem is… I can’t be with them since I’m also attending the Art Institute. If I move away, I have to cancel my classes along with losing my scholarship cause of all the packing. And I love living in this city, which also means I’ll be farther from you too if I go.” Michelle’s voice dropped at the last sentence. “I can explain the further details but my head is a bit scrambled, my parents dropped the bad news on me just now.”_

_At the moment Karmi wants to help her friend as much as she can. But she’s not the adult in her household to allow such a thing._

_What’s more to be concern is: What about Michelle’s parents? Do they know their daughter is asking this, or could it be that the girl is going rogue?_

_“I have to ask my mom…” The only answer the brunette could give. “Does your parent know what you’re doing?”_

_“Actually… they were the one who suggested this idea.” So her parents also didn’t want her to lose that scholarship either._

_“Anyway, enough about me! Tell how I can help a long time friend!”_

“Can we talk about it later?”

“Of course. After all I’m living with you, so take all the time you need.” Karmi is genuinely at her words, grateful to have such a wonderful as her friend.

“Anyway, there’s so many things I want to show you!”

* * *

 

“Last but _never_ the least.” She opens the door to reveal a room full of the brunette’s biotech gear. One side of the wall is decorated with a large projector screen showing many viruses being observed under a camera that’s somewhere in the room, a desk filled with stacks of textbooks, and various Petri dishes nearby a microscope and a small incubator. “This is my lab.”

“Amazing…” Her best friend is blown away as her eyes scan the room.

“And that will conclude the tour of SFIT.” Karmi states as she pull out her phone to check the time. “It’s getting pretty close to lunch. We should get some food now.” She walks ahead of her friend to the door.

“By the way, lunch is on me.” Michelle begin stammering on her words, but the biotech genius stops her without needing to turn her head around. “No protest! I’m doing this because I want to.”

Karmi can easily tell what response Michelle taken.

With a shaken head and a knowing smile, the artist just follows along and won’t be asking much for food.

* * *

 Lunchtime has rolled in and the cafeteria is already filling in with hungry students. Luckily it’s more calming compare to the classroom where it’s more bustling with the students chatting or building.

At one table with a group of particular friends, spent the free time with each other as usual.

“Alright, alright… what if we, get this, new gears for _transportations_?” Fred is at it again to come up with new upgrades for the Big Hero 6. “What do you think?” He wiggles his eyebrows intrigued.

“That sounds like more trouble than what we have on our plate already.” Wasabi rejects the idea.

“Come on, I think it would be fair. Hiro got Baymax, and Go go got those wheels attach at her ankles.”

“No can do. It would have to undergo many test trials, damage repair, and for sure Mr. Krei would blackmail us to make it a public selling product.” Hiro adds in his objection. With that said, he hopes this would finally shut down his friend’s crazy idea. Although he have to admit the comic book lover have some good ideas. But they’re too risky and too time-consuming when he got classes, hero crime-stopping, and Mr. Krei business activities occasionally intervening both risk factors— There’s no in-between breaks living a secret double life.

“Remember the one time we tried creating a flexible webbing net for Baymax? During that pilot period, Krei wanted to make it out as a mobile trampoline to the public.” The anecdote was enough for Fred to put his head down, finally ending his persistence of new gears. For now at least.

“No big deal. Jumping from building to building is way more fun than riding on some ‘first built’ original hoverboard.” The Kaiju-wearer is always known to be the optimistic one in the group along with being the most laid-back.

“Hoverboards are already invented… not exactly to the acclaimed title though.” Go go mutter that last part about the disappointing invention of a automatic skateboard.

“Don’t worry Freddie. I think just having a Japanese kaiju costume is cool as it is.” Honey Lemon pats her beanie wearing friend on the shoulder.

“You’re right. As Heathcliff had always told me, ‘ _always work with what you’re given and always be thankful to those you received from_.’ Thank you Hiro for your genius brain and creating my superhero suit!” He give the young boy a huge smile.

“No problem.” Hiro returns it with a small smile of his own, still appreciates the gratitude.

Afterwards he looks around the cafeteria out of boredom. He mainly sees other students doing their own stuff with their own groups or by themselves, whether it was studying or building, or simply looking at their phone to kill time. His brown eyes continue looking around while he chews on an apple. Continuing to do so, he passingly glance at Karmi’s table that have her and another girl sitting together.

_Wait a sec._

The youngest student did a double take at that specific table, making sure he’s not seeing some sort of illusion. But after doing a third take and staring there for a few seconds, there what he is truly seeing.

His colleague and not-so-secret admirer for his hero persona, not having her books and laptop. Instead she have a simple packed lunch tray. Next to Karmi is a girl he has never seen at this school before. And the most bizzare thing is they’re talking to each other, occasionally laughing about whatever they’re talking about, and… just seeing the brunette being a normal social girl in general, for the first time ever.

This shouldn’t be a strange scene to see, but usually the biotech girl is alone during lunch, sitting at that table all by herself. After a week of being stuck with her thanks to Prof. Granville’s assignment, she is known as a huge introvert, a bit egotistical about her IQ, and just coming from experience, she’s snappy at those that approached to her disliking.

The girl she’s talking to is someone with really short black hair, wearing a dark blue shirt with some white stripes, a pair of black skinny jean, and a pair of black sneakers. With a bit detail he can see from a distance, she’s definitely Asian. Possibly full Japanese or Chinese. Either way, she must a new student that is another young genius… and happen to easily befriend the difficult Karmi.

“Weird…” He absently comment before going back to his friend’s conversation.

* * *

“So are you gonna tell me what’s bothering you?” Michelle asks as she see her friend glaring at a table far away.

“Maybe later. I don’t want _him_ to eavesdrop on us.”

“Him?” Karmi points at a table that have five people seated. There are three guys and two girls altogether, but the person who stood out in the group in the artist’s eye was a small boy who looks Japanese, and possibly around their age. He’s most likely a young student who goes here like the brunette.

“That boy in the blue hoodie. That’s Hiro Hamada, the youngest student to attend here.” She sarcastically praise her academic rival.

Michelle’s blue eyes widen at who the boy is. Before she caught herself staring for too long, she turn her head back to the biologist. “So that’s Hiro…” Mumbling to herself and mentally capturing a mental picture in her head.

“Yeah, he’s super weird… he has this secret, but _not-so-secret_ , crush on me. But I told him that I will never be interested in him, for I like someone else.” The brunette boast about her opposition.

“So he’s the root of your problem, I’m guessing.”

“You have no idea.” Karmi blew some air as she leans back further into her chair. “You see… I got this crazy hypothesis, which I hope isn’t true, and I kind of wanted to see that it’s nothing more than a dumb theory.” Sensing the trouble she is having, Michelle immediately change the subject that could help lift her stress.

“Do you know any coffee shop around here?” Not the smoothest transition, but it got her best friend to talk about something else.

“Ummm… there’s the Cat Cafe on XXXXXX street, Tea’s daily that right across the city, and then there’s-“

“Oooh, Cat Cafe sounds like a cute place to hangout!” Michelle subtly bounce in her seat. “Is it one of those coffee shop that does the latte art? Do they also do the cappuccino foam art of cute animals, like obviously a cat and other animals?”

“Yeah. I think so.” Karmi was a bit hesitant on going to a place that’s… possibly crowded. She prefers to have her free time be by herself. Usually the biotech genius stays in her lab after school or at home, being a biologist twenty-four/seven. For going to a place that she’s never been to let alone with probably a lot of people, it makes her a bit anxious. But this for her best friend that’s never been in this part of the city.

“How about after school…?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

 

“What seem to be the problem, Hiro?” Baymax asks his inventor with a monotone voice.

“It’s… nah, it’s nothing to worry about.” Hiro is sitting in his work chair at his home, staring at a blank monitor with a curious look on his face. Then he got up from his seat and begin pacing back and forth in his work desk to near his wall clock.

Even though he just told his robot friend that it’s nothing to hang onto. It still bothers the genius boy with what he saw was an unlikely scene before his eyes during lunch. For the past few weeks that Hiro been attending SFIT, and being somewhat acquaintance with the biotech girl, is the strangest fact that Karmi successfully made a friend.

A human friend. Not one of her observed viruses that she enjoys talking to as a pastime.

But another strange thing is the black haired girl attending the school, in general. She must be a new student… but the thing is that Prof. Granville would have notify him than just the brunette, and yet she didn’t.

“I’ll ask Prof. Granville tomorrow.” He input a reminder in his head for tomorrow’s agenda.

“Hey Hiro! Can you help me out with the coffee machine?!” Aunt Cass is shouting from the floor below their apartment. “I think there’s something stuck inside!”

“Yeah coming!” He shouts back as he already treading his way downstairs, Baymax following behind.

Fortunately the cafe isn’t busy today, with only five customers filling one of the round tables. It’s a stress relief that the owner doesn’t have to worry about fixing the coffee machine in a short time.

Hiro unscrew the main base of the broken machine, revealing all the gears and wires inside. Then grabs a magnifying glass out of his hoodie pockets for a better close-up. Setting down the screwdriver he then pulls out a pair of tweezers with his free hand, cramming it inside the machine to find the flawed piece.

“Hmmmmm.” He hummed as he pushed the tweezer further. Eventually he found the problem of why the coffee machine was being faulty. He pluck at the wire seeing that it already reached it peak of usefulness.

“Hey Aunt Cass. I think it’s time to buy a new coffee machine.” He pulls back to turn his body toward his aunt. He then explains the only error that causing the machine to stop working altogether. “The wire that’s connected to the main source burned out.” With his tweezer Hiro use it to pull it father out of the machine for the chocolate haired woman to see.

“Hmmmmm….” Cass prompt her chin to think what to make of this situation. “How expensive is replacing a wire compare to buying a brand new coffee machine?” Hiro can only shrug his shoulders as to have no clue. Then he felt a rubbery hand on his head.

Looking up and moving the hand to see it belongs to Baymax.

“Let me scan the machine and I can identify what wire we need to replace and where we can buy it.” 

“You guys are such lifesavers.” She gives her two family members a quick hug. After letting go she step back as well as her nephew did the same, giving the tall robot a crack at it.

While the robot examine the broken coffee maker, a light doorbell went off from the entrance of the cafe. 

Both Hiro and Cass look at the door to see who entered. The woman gives her customer the usual greeting while the boy didn’t say anything at all, not even a wave of his hand. He was too shocked to do anything really.

To his surprise, the customers that walk through the front are the two girls from school, Karmi and new girl. Hiro has to blink a couple of time to make sure he wasn’t seeing some weird illusion, like earlier. 

But nope… it’s real. Karmi, awkward, rude, and barely social Karmi, in his aunt’s cafe. And also the new girl is here too.

“I sense the tension in your shoulders and the frozen movement of your body: you are surprise.” The tall rubber companion interrupts the boy’s trance.

“Baymax!” Hiro hissed since the cafe is so quiet that everyone can hear its voice speaker.

The two girls obviously heard him loud and clear. Karmi just scoffs at her classmate’s foolery while the small Asian has on a weird expression of confusion and… what kind of face is that?

After a few seconds of awkward silent and stares, Hiro became the first to break the ice.

“Surprise seeing you here. What’s up Karmi?” He got no response from neither girls as the two walk off to a table close to the window.

“Okay…” He frowns at the usual ignorance he received from the brunette. He turns away and to just notice Baymax is still standing behind, and now in front of the boy when Hiro turned. 

“Oh right, you’re done with scanning.” He looks up to meet the two connected eyes of the robot. “So what do we need to repair the coffee maker?”

“There’s no solution to repair the coffee machine. Instead I research some ideal coffee machines that are a price between fifty dollars to a hundred and forty dollars...plus tax.”

Did you hear that Aunt Cass?!”

The older woman groan loudly from the back of the counter.


	4. The Start of Everything

Hiro sympathize with his aunt’s trouble with the cafe currently possessing a broken coffee maker. But with the machine useless and irreparable, it is what it is. Maybe he’ll tag along with her next shopping day and help find a affordable and long-lasting coffee machine.

He was originally going to walk up the stair to their apartment that’s a floor above, but what stop him was a unique laugh from a far.

The owner of the laugh was none other than Karmi’s friend, sitting across from her. While one’s laughing happily, the other is covering her hand with her face as she looking down at their table. Afterwards the black haired girl’s laughter decrease to where her hand cover her mouth to muffle the noise, but her shoulders were still shaking with mirth.

Whatever conversation they were having, it pique the boy’s interest. Maybe it’s mainly because his academic rival is embarrassed about something, resulting into a priceless moment he cannot pass up.

Hiro smile evilly as he sneaking his way toward the table closest to the the window.

* * *

 

“So wait wait wait, wait.” Michelle finally stopped laughing and waved her hand around to refocus on the hypothesis. “What you’re saying is, Hiro could be your  _ hero?”  _ She use her fingers to air quote the question.

“Hypothetically speaking…!” Karmi hushed her best friend, pulling her hands away from her face. She can already feel the few people in the room staring at them and practically drilling holes in her awkward being. But right now that’s the least of her concern. “For all I know, he could be some… other guy behind the helmet.”

“Some guy? Like someone who has a supernatural power and then get helps from a crazy rich and smart man to build a superhero suit, enhancing and help controlling  _ some guy’s _ abilities.” The brunette simply stares at her confused. “Y’know Spider-Man… Homecoming?” Michelle smiles at the cool parallels between her favorite movie and real life.

As much as the SFIT student wanna ridicule the artist’s for her weird movie reference, but given the circumstances, anything is better than nothing.

“You’re not wrong… but it’s debunked. What other genius would help Hiro? Callaghan is in jail, Prof. Granville wouldn’t particularly help him, and… as much I don’t like admitting it. He’s a genius who that doesn’t need to rely on another genius.” Karmi begrudgingly let out the last evidence to rebuttal.

“That’s truuee… you guys are at that smart school for a reason.” She blew some air in disappointment. “Wait,” The black haired girl perks at another observation. “He’s not alone. Aren’t there four other people, five if we’re counting the big red guy. Didn’t you say that they’re also secret superheroes?”

“Those are just other hypothesizes...that I’m not too worry about.”

“So this is mainly about Hiro?” She looks down at the table, not wanting to look into those blue eyes that can easily read her.

“Or is it about your feelings if it is Hiro?” Michelle didn’t miss the brunette’s tense reaction from the follow up question.

“What are you gonna do when you find out who it is?”

Karmi didn’t know how to go about it. When she lifted her head to meet her best friend’s eyes, she was speechless. 

This is serious… what would she do if her secret crush for the small hero, is actually… Hiro… as in Hiro Hamada? Would her feelings quickly dulled, or would will she be seeing the boy she dislike in a new light?

“... I honestly don’t know…” It came out as a scared whimper. This is all new to the biotech genius. Solving how to cure viruses, complicated math problems, and discovering the biology of human features— That’s all this student capable of because she’s prepared to discover the unpredictable outcomes, in the name of science. But discovering the psychological side of a human being, that is a new field Karmi is no expert on.

Maybe if Karmi test this hypothesis and it follows through… Maybe there’s more to learn about the boy she consider a rival, and more about herself than she already know.

“Hey, you shouldn’t sweat about it.” Michelle abandon her seat to be right beside her troubled friend. Placing a supporting hand on the SFIT’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “What we should be worrying about is, what are we getting for drinks? And then we can pitch in ideas on how to… find out who’s behind the helmet.”

Karmi nods her head with a new found of hope.

“Alright! Drinks is on me. Anything you want?”

“Just water.” The brunette grins as the artist shoot back one her sly smirk.

What a turn of events. Karmi let out a sigh of amazement. What a rush this week has been. Creating a theory that her rival could be her hero crush, her best friend living with her, and then coming up with plans to expose the small leader of Big Hero 6.

‘This is crazy… but at least it could be fun.’ How can it not when you got an amazing friend by your side to help.

She turn her head toward the window, smiling about the possibility of an adventure happening afoot.

Unbeknownst to the two girls, a boy with a dark blue hoodie was sitting a table annexed to theirs. 

He overheard everything and is internally freaking out


	5. The Big Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LET’S GOOO UPDATE!
> 
> School has been kicking my ass with homework after homework. But I’m getting good grades to keep on passing until I graduate. Hopefully my English will help me improve my grammar and syntax skills for the sake of delivering this story to you guys!
> 
> So I hope you like this new chapter in my story, and please critique me if you have the time. 
> 
> Enjoy reading!

This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. This. Is. _Extremely_ bad. The fact that his young colleague and _not-so-secret_ admirer (for his hero persona) is on the hunt to find out his secret identity. This could go to many bad results:

  1. Karmi will reveal his secret to everyone. Although she has lack of social skills and introvert personality, she will expose it one way or another.
  2. Use it as blackmail material
  3. Her usual acting skills of being over-friendly, optimistic, and crushing will be real. The thought of that dopey grin and weird giggling from the girl’s mouth is enough to send a chill down his spine. Given the fact that they share one class together, the lovey-dovey gaze and swoon will be so obvious, he would be awkwardly suffering under her stare.



 

“Guys, we got a problem.” Hiro immediately turned on his computer and send in requests for video chat rooms. Soon the screen pop up with three screens each live streaming his friends; Honey Lemon and Gogo on one screen and the other two individual screens hosted respectively by Fred and Wasabi.

“Woah woah-oh, you need to calm down.” Wasabi became the first to pick up on the boy’s stress.  He show concern with raise eyebrows as he motion his hands flat and moving them downward, signaling his friend to tone it down. “You need to take a deep breath-“

“Karmi might know…!” The halfa answer in one quick breath. Earlier he ran up the stairs when he (calmly) left the cafe after Karmi and her friend left the building. By the time he ran up the stairs that lead to the second floor of his apartment (third floor if we’re counting the cafe as floor one), he was out of breaths when he reached to his computer, and his panicking was another factor to be added.

The sound of rubber squeaking against the wooden stairs was coming from baymax, just arrive onto the scene.

”What do you mean, Hiro?” Honey Lemon asks worried.

“Karmi might have figured out that I’m the Hero-Hiro!” All eyes widen in shock and gasped.

“No way…! We thought she got you the first time!” Fred put his hands on his beanie, gripping on the headwear material in terror. He subtly shook his head in disbelief.

It’s true. When the smallest member of Big Hero 6 saved Karmi from the falling lamppost, not only did she get a good close look on her face, she also snapped a picture on her phone. Yet miraculously the brunette still doesn’t know that behind the orange eye shield is actually him, the boy she somewhat depise.

“What her made think about this?” Gogo joins in the conversation not liking this situation at all.

“I don’t why or how she’s thinking about this now. I overheard her and her friend talking about it-”

“Hold up. Karmi has a friend, like a human friend?” The Korean interrupts the young boy, tilting her head in suspicion. The group (and probably the whole school) knew a few things about the biotech student, but no one really knows about her early life. Granted she most likely refuse to tell anyone, or nobody even bother asking her.

“That’s what I said too. But for real, Karmi was talking to a girl at the cafe earlier. And that girl was someone who I saw at the school too, and she look about my age.”

“Her friend goes to our school? Like another young student, as in another young _genius?_ ” The physic student speaks up with more confusion. All of them are puzzled for not getting the news that another new student will be attending SFIT. Hiro would be their best source on this matter, but even he’s at a loss.

“Not possible. The black haired girl spoke about school as someone who’s not attending it… Then again I did see her at the lunchroom, in fact she was with Karmi then.” He begin ruffling his hair with his fingers, in a manner to ease nervousness or stress. “Beside the p-point—adding to the point, they’re coming up with something that could expose me and Baymax.”

“Alright, but first thing: We need to see who’s this girl Karmi friends with.” Gogo slam a fist against her plan, initiating the first objective tomorrow morning.

* * *

 

“So… how do we start with this, plan?” Michelle asks as she fluff her given pillow.

Karmi and Michelle are upstairs in the brunette’s bedroom, discussing their plan to discover the secrets of Sans Fransokyo’s heroes. The brunette already tuck herself into bed but was instead lying down at the opposite end, easier to talk to the artist. The other girl was given an air mattress that right in front of the bed.

“I honestly don’t know…” She look up towards the ceiling as she think of the first idea that pops into her head. “Maybe I could talk to Hiro, somehow.” 

“Then he will definitely knows what’s up with that tactic.” The black haired girl gives the other a teasing and all knowing smirk. “You have to be nice to him. And base on the way you describe him to me, you will definitely lose your cool and your act.” Michelle earn herself a laugh, as well a smack in the face with a pillow.

She sometimes hate how observant the Asian girl can be. Eyes for details and all that stuff.

“Okay, miss creativity,” Karmi stack her hands together to place her chin on top of them. She challenge her friend through with a pouty lip. “What’s your idea then?”

“I was thinking I could talk to him. Hmmm, maybe talk to his friends instead. You know, infiltrate the group like a undercover spy.” Her blue eyes sparkle with mischief along with the sly grin. She moves her hands into a singular flowing motion, almost miming like a snake slipping into a small crack.

“Then he will definitely know what’s up with that tactic.” Karmi shoot the quote right back at Michelle, cocking a joking smirk of her own.

“Alright, touché touché.”

Both of the girls were at a loss for any other ideas. So instead Karmi decides to move on to a different subject, anything that’s not Hiro-related.

“How about those drawings? Prof. G is expecting some great work from you.” The Chinese-American chuckles as she crawl around her mattress to find her messenger bag. When she finds it, she then flips over the flap and pulled out a thick sketchbook with a blue cover. Michelle then rose to her knees and shuffle to the bed, Karmi move back to make room for the sketchbook to be lied open. 

The brunette looks at the open book incredulously and then to her friend, asking for permission to look through it. When she got the approval to flip the pages, it was almost like being at a art museum, but from paper than a building.

The pages were filled with either pencil or inked sketches, some were filled with multi-media illustrations. Some of the drawings were original work based on its finished style of hyper-realism while the rest were realism, from either photo references or real life observations.

“Oh my gosh! These are incredible.” The biotech girl squeal at a particular drawing of a small dog. As she flips to other to find more observation drawings of flowers, buildings, and some people from her home area within the city.

“I’ve been going out a lot.” She prompt her upper body on the bed on the opposite side of her sketchbook where Karmi was laying by. Her finger points at the dog as her eyes soften at it. “That dog was from when I went to this other coffee shop, and there was this lady who was writing something as her dog was walking around. The cutest part was that he accidentally wrapped his leash around the pole of the table and began asking his owner for help.”

“Awwww, I wish I was there to see it.” Karmi would have helped the adorably stupid animal if she actually was there.

“You improved a lot since I left high school.” She comment as soon as she reached a blank page in Michelle’s sketchbook. “... it’s a lot better than my doodle…” The brunette mumbled the last part in hopes she didn’t hear it. 

“You drew something again?!” Unfortunately the artist heard her loud and clear. “You should show it me!”

“It’s not that good…” Karmi cheeks reddened with embarrassment. Compare to her best friend’s art, hers looks like a drawing of a kindergartener’s.

“Oh come on! You know how I love seeing other people work. Anything that shows shapes is a drawing, whether it’s good or bad.” The small girl persist with excitement and anticipation sparkling in her eyes. “I showed you mine, you need to do the same~.” 

Eventually Karmi gave in as she twist her upper body towards her nightstand. Her arms reached out for a small journal that’s been on top of it, easily grabbing it and brought it to her chest. When she return to the end of her bad, she was still hesitant on showing her drawing to someone that’s a freakin’ prodigy. But that’s one of the reason. The other reason is what hers latest drawing is. But she opened it and flipped to the page of the drawing, and then gave it to Michelle.

The artist gently grab the book, carefully cradling it in one hand while the other was keeping the page in place for her to see. Her blue eyes examine the drawing thoroughly to fully process what it's supposed to be.

“Is this supposed to be your hero? Like, Hiro-Hero?”

“I don’t want to think about right now!” She chastised her best friend, immediately stealing back her journal. She glares at the Asian-American while she was snickering to herself.

“Let’s call it a night.”

“Kay, good night Karmi.”

“G’night.” She then turn the lamp off and the room is instantly shrouded in darkness.

* * *

In the middle of the night, a phone vibrates against the air mattress. The owner picks it up and was force to narrow her eyes until they adjust themselves to the brightness of the phone.

The text has no ID but instead had a question mark in its message.

She instantly know who it’s from. Carefully she lifted herself up on the air mattress, trying to not make any noises. Next she changed the brightness on her phone to dim and made it face the floor, not wanting to disturb her roommate from either the bright light or the any noise that could wake her up.

Soon the girl slowly slipped her way out of the bedroom and walk herself to the bathroom.

As soon as the coast was clear, she slid her thumb across the screen to unlock her phone. After typing in her passcode, her thumbs rapidly types in a reply on her digital keyboard.

**I’m gonna talk to his friends first.  Meanwhile the biotech girl will distract the main target.**

**The sooner I infiltrate into the group, the easier I can copy down their tech and send them to you ASAP.**

Her thumb then hit the send button.

Then her text bubble popped up gray with a little text under it that notified as _delivered_.


	6. Awkward Encounters Makes Friends

The next morning the gang of Big Hero 6 gather around the center of the quad upon campus. Each member minding their own business when secretly they’re scouting out the girl that is associated with Karmi.

“She doesn’t seem to be here.” Wasabi comments tiredly, releasing a yawn from his mouth. Then he continues with his scoping, only to see the regular students of SFIT.

“If Karmi is here, chances are that girl is gonna be here too.” Hiro respond quickly as he spotted someone who he thought was the biotech girl. Only to be disappointed to see someone else with that similar hairstyle. He frowns at his misleading.

“So what are we gonna do if we find her?” Honey Lemon is curious of meeting this mystery girl Hiro saw. Even though the main goal is to prevent the two girls from investigating, maybe the other one is nice and doesn’t have a snappy personality like Karmi.

“We interrogate and get our answers. If we don’t, we’re gonna need you to concoct a amnesia mixture.” Go go explain in a quick list.

“I see them!” Fred points out to a nearby road where two young girls just crossed the street. They were having a light conversation that led the two to be giggling about whatever they were talking about. Each of them brought their own school bag. Karmi brought a magenta backpack and Michelle brought a two-tone color messenger bag of tan and brown, with a black strap on her shoulder. 

“Alright guys, I’ll talk to Karmi and you guys talk to the new girl.” They all at first, took the long route together to approach the girls behind, making it look like the group have just arrived to school. Then they split up taking that small space between them and filled it with their presence, separating them as well.

“Ah, Uh hey Karmi.” Hiro mentally curse at himself for stammering, unprepared how to casually approach the girl without any misleads.

“Hi there!” Honey Lemon the first to greet the smaller girl. 

“Um… Hello?”

“What is it?”

Both girls are weirded out by this strange event, particularly this one so early in the morning.

One, Karmi’s academic rival greeting her with a huge and forced smile and the tall balloon-like robot simply waving. The other is seeing that four tall strangers semi-circling Michelle, and weirdly staring down at her.

“We heard that we’re getting a new student today!” The Latina explain with optimism that hopefully ease the girl’s guard down. “And so we thought today we’ll able to introduce ourselves.”

But it had the opposite effect for the Asian girl took a step back, away from the four.

“Ummm, that’s cool. Well, it was very nice meeting you.” Michelle spoke in a calm but intimidating voice. She turns her back towards them and walk a bit ahead to see what Karmi is doing.

“Sooo, anything new? With you, like, did—did anything happen, or anybody new, here?” Hiro is mentally facepalming himself for tripping on his words. He’s trying not to be blunt that’ll bring suspicion nor does he want to help confirm her accusations of him crushing on her. 

“Nothing really. Why are you being weirder than usual?” The brunette snaps as she quickly left the boy in the dust, meeting up with her friend.

Both of the girls began talking again and glance back at the group, briefly giving the six weird looks before entering the main building. 

“Well that didn’t work.” Fred stating the obvious.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A stern voice caught the five by surprise, momentarily freezing in their place. They all turn their heads to see the owner of the voice was none other than the Dean of the school. 

She approach the group with a purse hooked onto her shoulder and a key in her hand, meaning she just her car, also just witnessing the strangest grouping today. 

“Did you had any business with Michelle?”

“Who?” The non-SFIT student ask bluntly.

“That girl who you intimidated earlier, will be with Karmi for the time being. Her name is Michelle Shen, a childhood friend of hers and a part-time student at SFAI.”

“Why is she here when she should be at SFAI?” Wasabi asks curiously.

“Also, part-time student, as in she’s still a high school student? Shouldn’t she be there instead of here, now?” Go go joins in the questionnaires. “How are you even allowing this?”

“That information will not be given.” Prof. Granville respond with such strictness the two didn’t dare question a second time. 

The copper-skinned woman then walk on ahead to the school entrance. But before she continues, her feet stopped to the midpoint away from the group and a bit closer to her destination. She turns her head to the five people with a professional facade.

“I would ask the girl herself instead of bombarding Karmi.” After that small piece of advice, the Dean and teacher completely left them at the quad.

“Well that was helpful.” Gogo sarcastically comments.

* * *

 

Karmi and Michelle are walking down the hallways that leads to the biotech laboratory. Both of them criticizing the encounter of earlier.

“I didn’t think they would come to us, and so early too.” The brunette comments surprise. “And as usual, Hiro acting weird with that dopey smile and that conversation starter, so weird.”

“So much for talking to them. It was that all-of-sudden moment. I just blanked and completely forgotten the plan.” Michelle nudged her and gave her a cringed grin. “Maybe we’ll have a better shot when lunch comes around.”

“And go through that awkward greeting again?” Both of them stretch their lips and groans at the thought of going through that again.

“Besides that… I should go find Granville’s office. I brought my sketchbook today with some new additions.” The artist then opens the flap of her messenger bag to pulled out the blue-covered sketchbook. She immediately flips the pages until she reached to a messy drawing of simple shapes, all drawn with ink pen.

At this point they stopped in their track in the middle of the hallway, not far from their usual destination. 

Karmi curiously lean over her shoulder to see what the drawing was.

The drawing have many shapes, some are connected to another while others are distanced from each other. There were also a bunch of writing and lines connected to specific shapes.

It took the second youngest genius a while until she read one piece of legible writing connected to a square in the corner of the paper.

“... Peri...Periodic… Table Cafe?!” Karmi voice get louder in astonishment, finally realizing what is one her best friend’s new addition. “Is this the map of our campus?” 

“Part of it.” Michelle answers as she stretch her arms out to see the whole map in landscape portrait. “When you gave me the tour a couple of days ago. I only drawn in the details of the route we usually go to; which is the entrance, your lab, and that cafe. By the way, that’s was really clever of them to name the place that.”

Karmi can easily see the full picture since she doesn’t have to bend down to see it. She’s at it again for admiring her best friend’s incredible art skills, and her photographic memory.

“How the heck do you draw these perspectives?” The drawing was like a view from a satellite, ridiculously crazy at the accuracy of these location. Does her school even have that as a public sign?

 “Anyway, do you need me to take you to Prof. G’s office?”

“No… I’m pretty sure I can find it.” Michelle answer with some confident, even though her map has no label in finding that woman’s office. “Besides, didn’t you say you needed to check up on your little guys first thing today?”

Karmi contemplates on her choices. It’s true what the small artist said, but then again... she remember placing one of the petri dishes in her incubator yesterday. Which then leans more on helping Michelle in locating the Dean’s office.

Before she could finalize her decision, the black haired girl beat her to it, in speaking. 

“Also, I could have a higher chance running into Hiro, or his friends.”

“Or you could run into Prof. G, which is what you wanted to do.” Michelle snorts

“Pfft, it isn’t a immediacy.” She swooped her hands down, playing a smirk on her lips confidently. “We’re focusing on finding out Big Hero 6’s identities, remember? That, is way more exciting than showing some artwork to my art director’s colleague. Besides, I can show her during lunch too. Hopefully when she’s not busy.” The artist shrugs her shoulders as her smile brighten with anticipation to meet Hiro and his friends.

“...Alright.” The biotech genius nods her head and (because she’s still wants to be helpful) gave the artist the direction to the office.

And then Karmi left the Asian in her independence.

The moment the tall brunette is out sight, turning to a corner of the hallways, Michelle double check if the coast is completely clear. When it was confirmed that her surroundings is empty, the girl trace back to the entrance of quad.

* * *

 

‘Those five— counting the robot, six approached us before we did…? There’s no way that is how they greet new people at this school… unless,’ She look back to the day her and Karmi checked out the Lucky Cat Cafe. The first thing they saw inside that building, beside its decor of felines, was Hiro and the tall walking white inflatable. After that she then hears the groan of a woman about something about her coffee machine being busted…

‘Somewhere during that time he must have overheard us.’ Whatever, she just needs to act casual once she finds them.

Looking at her sketched map, she see that she’s at the halfway point where one end leads to the cafe and the other to a set of labs. Even though her drawn map is pretty messy, thanks to her photographic memories, she remembers most of the campus layout.

“Now where could they be now?” The artist mutter to herself.

It’s most likely all the students are already at their classes, possibly the lecture rooms. Those five must be already attending their classes… then again they can’t all be having the same one together. There’s also more than one class that are starting at different times with different subjects, not to mention some are located as far as across this school.

What’s even harder is what will she do if she finds one of them? She’s not a student at SFIT. So if she did enter one of the buildings and enter a classroom when a teacher is teaching, she’ll definitely get kicked out after being unable to answer his questions.

The Chinese-American already put that location as the last place to search.

Another guess is some of the students might be in their personal labs working on their projects related to their major, some shared a lab based on a specific school project. Learning from Karmi, when she showed her that one hallway full of separate labs, they scheduled their classes at a later time so they can do check-ups on their projects. But the problem is, Michelle vaguely remember each ones since her friend was more excited showing her own lab than the rest.

So there’s definitely gonna be a lot of awkward walk-ins to random people who she never met.

The two options is between searching and interrupting a lecture room, or searching through each and every students’ lab. Either way, both sound extremely tiring.

Michelle’s third (and doubtful) guess is Hiro and his friends are still outside of the school entrance. But after observing the school for a couple of days, the students here aren’t the kind to be sitting ducks everyday. 

“They could be anywhere…!” She curse under her breath. After that her stomach began growling. Placing a hand on her stomach, all the artist can do is sighed and take care of her human needs. 

“My best bet might as well be the cafeteria.” Michelle slams her sketchbook shut and made a beeline for breakfast. 

She can for a bite of fruit.

 

* * *

“So this Michelle girl is a two-timing college student?” The group other than Wasabi gave the man a strange look. “What? I don’t know any other way to say ‘she attends two colleges at the same time.’”

“But Prof. Granville said she’s a part-time student at SFAI. So it’s confirmed that she’s also a high school student.” Gogo adds in another observation. 

“A triple-timing student?!” Everyone has to admit, that is the strangest analogy to be comparing to a person’s education than their relationships. But that’s not important right now. “If you got a better title for her, I’m all ears.” Wasabi challenge his group with a frown on his lips.

“We can’t be sure about that. She didn’t confirm that this Michelle girl is officially a student here.” Hiro intervenes.

“Speaking of Professor Granville...How is she allowing this? Letting a high schooler and a student from the rival school to be here. My only guess is she’s planning to enroll here, and the Dean is allowing this because she’s a young genius like you.” The mechanical engineer appoints the halfa.

“Well she’s is a young genius, buuut not to your definition.” Fred chimes with knowledge. He flip his smartphone over for the group to see what’s on his screen. 

It was a recent article that was posted from this summer of July. The headlines reads ‘High School Girl Impress Art Director of Sans Fransokyo Art Institute.’ Underneath the big font was a following headline: “ _Her incredible art skills isn’t the only thing that impressed the director!”_

 _SFAI was hosting their annual art competition during the month of July for all to enter. There was no theme for the artwork, but the idea submission is to show what skills you possess using whatever art media the competitor desire to share to the school. One girl in particular brought a huge canvas  introduce herself as Michelle Shen, fifteen years old, and at Sans Fransokyo high school._  

_It was shocking to not see her family with her, but after the explanation (and knowledge of both her parents working), she promise to tell the story through her perspective. The girl took a trolley to the nearest stop point for her to walk to the institute._

_When the time come to display the competitors’ artwork. Michelle find a spot is near two elite students’ artwork and still had it cover. She waited until the judges (Frank Paiden, Jillian Hauser, and Drew Gin) came by her position, and the three questioned the cover. How she answer all those questions was fascinating._

_Michelle Shen was full of surprises._

_Underneath the cover left not only the judges speechless, but also all those nearby who originally were looking at the two other painting!_

_They began asking question such as “What led you to create this? Who inspired you? Etc...” But the one question had an answer that shocked every in the room!_

“Oh look, it’s her!” Honey Lemon alert the group, stopping all of them from reading the rest of the articles.

“Yeah, we found her picture.” Go go quickly respond as she scrolls down to finally see the only picture of the article. She then tap it to have the picture zoom itself to full quality.

“No, that’s not it. I mean, that’s great, good for her, besides that—“ She shakes her head to dismiss her rambling. “She’s here! Like right now, in this cafeteria.” The strawberry blonde points a thumb at one the doors.

The six turn their heads to where she was pointing.

The girl of the subject just enter into the cafeteria as she was focusing on putting something away in her messenger bag. Even from far away, they can tell that she was frustrated with something as she also made her way to the food line. As soon as she made her stop, she lifted her head to see the menu and the prices of whatever the cafeteria is serving.

And what’s strange is… Karmi is not with her.

“What is she doing by herself?” The boy genius asks himself out of observation. The random beeping and digital noises coming from the tall robot disturb his concentration.

“Scanning for mood, body language, and seeing her repeatedly glancing on the board: She is hungry.” Baymax answer with utmost noting.

“Umm… thanks Baymax.” Hiro awkwardly thank the robot for addressing the girl’s problem. Even though it was unnecessary, the robot is designed to study all kind of body language and emotion to help aid them.

The group continue watching the artist who left the line with a red apple in her hand. She then approach an empty table that’s close to a nearby wall, specifically the table that Karmi usually sits. When she set herself down, the girl then threw her bag on the table, open the flap over, pulled out a book and opened it along with grabbing a mechanical pencil.

“She’s drawing…” Fred whispers, studying the girl as well.

“Why don’t you go talk to her.” Wasabi became the first to appoint Hiro to go approach her. Everyone  immediately agreed, except for the small boy and his robot.

“Wait— Why?”

“Because… we might have scared her away.” The Latina smile shyly, hidden with guilt from the earlier at the quad.

“Also, you and her are about the same age. She looks like someone who easily associate with those within her age range.” He points at Hiro to emphasize his point.

“Uh…” The halfa at first was surprise to see someone like Honey Lemon to intimidate someone, being that she’s always nice and friendly toward others. Then he balance out the logical sense of the new girl getting suspicious and Wasabi’s logical reason.

In the end he sighed and answer. “Alright.” 

And so he left the group with Baymax following behind.

Let’s just hope she isn’t snappy like the biotech student.

* * *

 Michelle’s pencil scratch the paper, sketching out a thumbnail of her next work. During the middle of her drawing, she pulled her phone to text Karmi.

 **Hey, Prof. G isn’t at her office when I knocked on her door. So I’m just gonna chill at the cafeteria with an apple.**  

She press send and resume with her sketching and planning.

The artist then felt a pair of eyes staring down at her, making her stop her progress. Looking up to meet with two black eyes that are connected by a singular line on a small, white, and balloon-like head. Michelle blinks in confusion while the robot towering over mirrors her action.

“Uhh… hello…?” It took her a couple seconds of face recognition to finally remember where she seen the robot before. “You were at that cafe a couple of days ago.” 

“This guy actually lives with me. Well, me and my Aunt Cass.” A voice spoke behind the inflatable machine. The owner of the voice side-step to reveal himself.

He is a young boy who’s (maybe) the same height as the artist, have beige-ish light skin, a mass of messy black hair sticking in many different directions, and a pair of round dark brown eyes. The clothes he’s wearing is a simple red shirt that is worn over by a unzipped dark blue hoodie, a pair of tan cargo shorts, and maroon sneakers.

The same boy she also saw at the Cafe, and is the source of Karmi’s boy problem.

“Hiro Hamada.” The Chinese-American spoke his name with no question.

“Uh yeah. You know me?”

“Karmi…” She didn’t know what to say after that. Obviously she can’t explain that he’s the reason her best friend is having love life crisis and that he the first suspect of being the leader of Big Hero 6. But luckily she didn’t need to because Hiro began groaning at the ceiling.

He on the other hand can already fill in the blanks on what the brunette been telling her.

“Okay, whatever she said about me,” He brought his head down to meet her blue eyes, frowning. “Is not true.”

“That you’re the youngest student to attend here, a genius in robotics, and this guy,” she points her mechanical pencil at Baymax. “Was built by you?” Michelle smirks at the reaction she received for the boy is momentarily speechless.

“Oh.” His raise his eyebrows in shock. “Okay, all of that is true.” She chuckled before taking a bite out of her fruit.

“Wow. Karmi told you about me, nicely?” He already knows how his classmate describes him, but he remain acting casual in need of being cautious.

“I was more like filtering her description.” Earning herself a grin from the boy. Someone seem to have the decency to not insult someone they just met.

“I’m Michelle by the way, Karmi’s best friend.” She grace him with a genuine smile.

“Cool. You may already know who I am, but I have yet to introduce you to him.” He gestures to the robot. “This is Baymax.”

“Hello.” He wave his balloon-hand mechanically. The inflatable machine then lean his head forward to see what drawing the artist is working on. “I see you are drawing… a multitude of shapes.” 

Hiro did the same, oblivious to the mannerism of asking permission. Luckily she didn’t mind it as she rotated her sketchbook for them to get a better look.

“Incredible…” The boy comments breathlessly, recognizing the drawing is some of Sans Fransokyo’s buildings, streets, even some of the people. Multitude of shapes? Michelle drawn the details for him to easily see what part of the city she was sketching. “This almost looks, so effortless… How do you do this? So quickly too?”

“This is a messy sketch, something like a rough draft most people call it. Some artists would call the first step a thumbnail sketch when they draw a very vague sketch of an idea, before setting in the shapes and details.” Michelle beam with pride of her current stage on her graphite work. She looks up to meet dark brown and black eyes staring at her amazed. She froze herself as her cheeks lightly bloom pink, afterwards immediately cut to the chase of her art process. “Yeah, the um, real work is the inking, and the coloring um...also the other steps.”

“I look forward seeing it when it’s done.”

“Yeaaahhh,” Michelle prolongs as she notice something from a far. She slid her upper body aside, seeing four people watching them. “Looks like your friends are thinking the same.”

Hiro turns his head to the table with his friends, all of them still watching where he’s standing. 

“Hehehe… would you look at that.” The moment he turned, he saw his friends trying to act natural. Mind you, _trying_ . They immediately turned away from the two, each doing their own thing. Gogo _nonchalantly_ looking at a different direction while chewing her gum, Honey Lemon all of sudden interested in her cup of iced water, Wasabi looking down at their table drawing circles with his finger while whistling a Disney tune, and Fred leaning back in his seat as he twiddle his thumb. 

Real natural guys.

“Maybe I should go and show them this.” She suggests as she already close her sketchbook and opened the flap of her messenger bag.

“Ummm…” The boy genius didn’t know what to do at the moment. The Big Hero 6’s agenda was to find their target: Michelle Shen. But the idea was also to stay away from the same person that is trying to expose you.

Maybe Hiro should— nope, wait. Michelle is already packed with the bag’s strap hanging from her shoulder and getting up from her seat. 

“They seem like nice people.” The artist smile welcomingly as she walks ahead of the boy. She then stop in her track and turn back to him, waiting for him to catch up. 

Hiro stood there and stare at her like an idiot taking his sweet time to realize what just happen. 

“Yeah… They did find a article about you winning that art competition.” He quickened his pace to catch up with the young artist.

Although his friends made it obvious about spying on the two of them, he wanted to gently reject the idea of her getting closer to the group. But there was something strange about how she questionably and easily invited herself to join his table. It was like she saw the opportunity and took it.

Or maybe she’s more sociable than Karmi within their friendship. That’s gotta be it… 

As they were walking, the artist once again pulled out her phone, unlocking it and tapping her messenger app. Her thumb tap on her small digital keyboard at a moderate speed.

The robotic genius appear to be looking at a wall, but his pupils glance at her phone and the thumb that’s typing away.

‘Already texting her?’ Hiro can already guess who’s the receiver. This girl is definitely the one they need to watch out. 

The two teens reached the table Big Hero 6 is sitting and greeted them with kind gestures of their own. The four were surprised how easy Michelle was willing to meet them, considering their first encounter wasn’t great.

“Look who’s here.” The halfa announce her presence next to him. “Guys, this is Michelle. The new girl.”

“Hi, it nice to meet you guys. Again.” She waves her hands at them. 

“Hi…!” Honey Lemon is the first to respond. “Sorry about, earlier… this morning.” She stretch one side of her lips in a awkward and worry grin.

“It’s all good. Just don’t sneak up to people from behind next time.” The Chinese-American politely suggest with a bit of teasing.

“Sooo, do you know who they are?” Hiro challenges her to see how much has Karmi filled Michelle in on the people she plans to spy on.

“Umm…” Michelle knows who his friends are from another source; Honey Lemon the chemist engineer, Go go the industrial designer, Wasabi a major in physics, and Fred… what is his major in this school full of science? From the brief information, the beanie-wearer is affiliated with SFIT, somehow. She will have to search more on him a bit. Other than that, she can’t go off and easily identify each person, that could raise some suspicion on her part. So her best move is to act innocently steathy. “Karmi hasn’t told me about you guys.”

The brunette just titled the four simply Hiro’s friends. Though for Baymax’s identification, he was described as a robotic snowman.

‘Typical Karmi.’ Both Hiro and Gogo thought expectantly of the second youngest student genius.

“I’m Honey Lemon… nice to meet you, again.”

“I’m Go go, hey.” The Korean woman quickly did brought her hand up, not wanting to wave and then place it back down. 

“I’m Wasabi.”

 “The name’s Fred.” He rises from his seat and put out a hand toward her. She flinch back a bit for the sudden gesture. “May I say, having a SFAI student, here,  is so unheard of before. Which makes you a super cool person since you’re also a SFIT student.”

“Oh no, I’m not a student here.” The group were taken by surprise to hear this. “I just happen to be chilling with Karmi for a while. But you’re sort of right about me being a SFAI student.” The comic book lover eyes shine in delight to meet another non-SFIT person.

“She did mention that you’re a part-time SFAI.” Michelle didn’t question how the group gain info on her as well, Ms. Granville probably told them.

“I take their classes online. I’m a part of their pre-college program, majoring in art, of course.” 

“Thennn, that’s mean you’re still a high schooler.” Go go observed.

“Well… Yeah. But… that’s, um, that’s another story.” Her blue eyes shifted uncomfortably and a weak smile plaster on her face. 

The Big Hero 6 saw this and question this sudden change. Why this sudden bitter tone about her high school? Each of the members gather the pieces and made some guesses.

There’s no way she’s a dropout, not when she taking the college pre-classes because high schoolers can get ahold of such connection.

Could she possibly be in the midst  transferring out of Sans Fransokyo? That was the only theory they could think of.

That’s rough. Even though the artist won herself a scholarship, it’s might not be enough for her depend on her family’s financial situation. Her classes are only connected through the Sans Fransokyo high school. So once she moves out of the city, she’ll be leaving a familiar place full of people she know, her additional scholarship will be gone, and some high school credits.

“That must be hard for you…” Honey Lemon mumbled sadly, but the artist heard her clearly.

“What..?” Her eyes focused on the Latina.

“O-Oh, it’s just… transferring school must be hard on you…” She straighten her back and spoke a bit louder, being that the chemist is the kind who speaks her mind. “I bet a lot of people are gonna miss you as you will miss them.”

“That’s what you think…” The small girl said to herself, looking down at her feet. Memories of the moving truck parked in front of her family’s house, and her parents happily helping the moving men with packing resurface in her mind. They try to make out the situation as a optimistic opportunity, but the cause for this happening wasn’t something you can consider being a good… move. She truly miss her parents.

Hiro stayed quiet for a while and can only pity the girl beside him. The sketch he saw earlier shows she doesn’t play around and her skills are something more than just a hobby. Once she leaves, the artist will back at the start of square one, at a new school and little to no Sans Fransokyo scholarship. 

“So, ummmm… do you know when you have to leave?” The boy genius asks nervously, hoping to not set off something.

“I’m honestly not sure.” Michelle replied too quickly. “Probably, umm, within this, trimester… My parents will give a call when the enrollment has been made.” At this moment the Chinese-American began to feel uncomfortable. She made it this far as to even be standing near the target group… but with the mentioning of her school situation and the remembrance her parents are not with her, this dampen her mood to continue with this conversation.

Her blue eyes began scanning the room to find an excuse—any excuse to be anywhere but here. During the awkward scan, she see a familiar brunette wearing a cashmere sweater, orange skirt, and short leggings. 

“Look like Karmi here.” Michelle bluntly calls out her friend. She looks back on the five people and gives them a sad grin. “I should get going. It was, very nice meeting you guys.” And the artist walk away to meet with the biotech genius. 

“Bummer…” Fred finally spoken once the two girls were far from hearing range. “I know what it’s like transferring to a whole new place, not knowing a single person.

Hiro can only watch the two girls talking to each other.

Michelle looking sad… and Karmi looking up from her and glaring harshly at those watching them; already thinking the youngest SFIT student is the cause of this.

* * *

 

“So what did you two talked about, back there, with Hiro and his friends?” Karmi ask concern the moment they return to her biotech lab. She packing supplies for her upcoming class as her friend sat alongside the work table, continuing with her current sketching. 

“We just did some introductions, and they asked questions… some too close to home.” Michelle mention that last part to herself.

The brunette may not heard the last part, but she can see the sullen mood the artist is producing. Karmi wants to stay and help cheer the artist up, but she can’t miss today’s class when they are learning a new unit. And she have a word or two to say to Hiro Hamada.

“Why… don’t you get some fresh air?” She suggest with such hopefulness. “I once read in a textbook that oxygen can freshen and lift a person’s mood, clear the mind, and along with creating energy thanks to the human body system of kinetic energy.” 

Michelle looks up from her sketchbook to return the kind gesture. Maybe this is something does need today, giving there was more than missing her parents that bummed her out.

“I think I’ll do that. Thanks Karmi.” The Asian packed her bag and waited for the biotech by the door.

Once the brunette is packed and ready, the two left the lab and walk beside each other down the hallway until they have to separate. 

The two of them agreed to meet up again once lunch comes around.

* * *

 Michelle journey’s was full of deep thinking and reflecting on her early encounter with the suspecting group of SFIT students. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her brows knitted together and her mind filled with ideas for next time.

During her walk to the quad, she ran into the Dean who was on her to her class. Prof. Granville made a short stop as the artist pulled out and shown her sketchbook to the older woman, like she promised. Underneath her mature and strict demeanor, she was impressed of the sketches and illustration Michelle have collectively drawn.After some brief praises and small talks about both SFIT and/verses SFAI, Prof. Granville asked where Michelle was heading without the biotech genius with her.

With the small girl summarizing her reason of heading the quad and with Karmi not presence, the adult approved of her destined relocation.

Once Michelle is outside, she see a few student out there as well, either relaxing or working on their projects. She thought this would be a good time to practice some more observation drawings with the SFIT students running around and some robots working out their function systems.

After wandering around for some times, she decides to take a break. finding herself sitting on the small concrete stairs outside of Ishioka robotics lab. Looking through her sketchbook with pages filled with newly drawn people in different poses and angles, with some robots also drawn in different perspectives, Michelle then check the number of empty pages she have left. Counting the pages to see that her sketchbook is almost full. Looks like she gotta buy another sketchbook… maybe Karmi’s mother could give her some money to find a cheap one, not wanting to trouble her too much. 

Besides the sketchbook problem, the Chinese-American recollects herself and was back to reflecting on the morning conversation. She know she blew the opportunity after striking the first one when Hiro’s friends were watching them. But they were asking questions that were a bit too personal that she needed to retreat immediately, or otherwise she would have lost her causal composition. Thank god that her best friend walked into the cafeteria at a good time to make a smooth escape.

‘After that it gonna be so awkward that they won’t be near me again…’ Michelle cringed. ‘It’s gonna be a lot more harder to infiltrate into the group… maybe I should approach them next time, wait, I kind of already did that, sort of. How should I go about this? Does this mean I have to go through every students’ lab until I find at least one of them…?”

“Hey there, SFAI student.” A laid-back voice interrupts her thoughts. The black haired girl turn her head towards the voice to see the guy with a turquoise beanie.

“...Fred?”

“The one and only.” Fred replied with a delighted grin as he points two thumbs at himself. He thought it was a funny intro, but to her it wasn’t.

He picked up the mood and sat down next to the artist, a metal railing separates the two of them.

“Honey Lemon wants to apologize for making you uncomfortable, again.” 

“Tell her that it’s okay.” Michelle prompted her elbows on her sketchbook that’s on her lap, placing her chin on her palms and turn her head to stares blankly ahead. “I was just surprise that she knew right away… Maybe you guys were thinking that too.”

“Well… Maybe. Don’t take it to heart, she’s a really nice person and she means well.” She doesn’t turn her head but instead form a thin line on her lips.

Fred then tries to read any body language the young girl is showing, and so far there’s the obvious deadpanned and sitting position of loneliness. That’s right, she just came to this school not too long ago. Even though the artist isn’t a student here like him, but there’s still the signs of being like a new student.

“I know what it’s like being new to the school. Unsure of anything you’re not familiar with, not knowing anyone… and missing your family.” After that, Michelle perks up and turn her head to the comic book lover. She tilts her head curious.

“Do your parents visit you?”

“I actually still live with my parents since the school is close by, but they’re always away on business trips and vacations. All I have at home is my butler Heathcliffe, who is an awesome friend to have around.”

“That still sounds pretty lonely.”

“It’s not all that bad. I also got friends here that I would invite them over to hang.” The brown haired man grin with content. “It’s not like you’re alone either. You got that biotech girl Karmi, as a friend.”

“...that’s true.” He takes it as a small victory for the girl crack a tiny grin.

“Speaking of friends…” Fred hopes he isn’t pushing any more personal questions that could upset her again. “How did you and Karmi meet? If you don’t me asking. It’s just we’ve never seen her with anyone until you came.”

“We been friends… since elementary school.” The small Asian racks her brain, collecting memories to words, connecting words to describe past events. “We were both pretty quiet people, that was until our third grade teacher paired us together for a small assignment. Sometime after that we became best friends, inseparable even… well, until she graduated early and became a full-time college student after sophomore year. Kinda like how your friend have to move to different place, far away where you can’t hang out with them anymore…”

“That’s gotta be rough. Did you had other friends after she left your high school?” He became intrigued about Michelle’s high school life, wondering how she handled the situation of the biotech girl moving away.

“I did… but they’re as close compare to Karmi. I talked to them a few times before I began taking the online classes, where I didn’t have the time to hang with them anymore. So we end up growing apart.” Fred can only look at the young artist with sympathy. After some thinking, maybe he could be some assistance to her… actually more than that, he could be her friend that’s not a student here.

He leans to Michelle, with one hand grabbing onto the metal stair railing and the other open up for the unaccompanied girl.

“How about we become friends? The non-science major duo?” He encourage her with a gentle smile.

She stares down at the hand before shifting her focus to the chilled guy’s eyes. Her blue eyes analyze the hand that offers more than just a simple handshake. Accepting it means you’re now friends with someone who has no knowledge in the scientific field, is apparently a rich kid, and…

...and is friends with Hiro as well the other three SFIT students.

She cautiously takes the hand and gripped it with such carefulness, shaking it with hesitation and assurance.

Guess something did come out those awkward encounters.

“Non-science major duo.”


	7. A New Added Friend

The girls are awake late tonight, swapping gossip of today’s event. Obviously one had a more exciting story to tell compared to the same story of checking on a bunch of contained viruses in their respective petri-dishes.

“You were able to join the group, just like that?” Karmi didn’t expect it for they’re plan to go so… smooth. Yeah their approach was a bump in the road, but Michelle successfully befriended (if that’s even the word to fit the situation) one of main target’s member. The small girl always been the social one between the two.

“Not exactly. I only talked to one of their friends. noooot sure if that’s really saying you’re officially a part of the group.” Michelle explains with casualty as her body lying across the air mattress. “We just talked about a couple of relatable stuff, he gave me a handshake, and now we’re like, instant buddies."

“Then what’s the next plan? With me having classes and you not allowed to be with me, that means you’re forced to hang out with Fred.” She just learned the name of the man from Michelle's story. Before, she called the man the _weird-guy-that-happens-to-be-our-mascot_.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.” The artist comment with a smirk. As much as she usually straight forward with initialing plans, she doesn’t mind making allies along the way.

“But how are you gonna get information about Big Hero 6?”

“Ummm, by talking?” She answer it with questionable disbelief, looking at Karmi like did she really need to ask that. “What else?”

“You know what I mean.” Giving the small girl a pouty look. She sometimes hates it when her best friend say the obvious things that makes her feel stupid. Karmi is suppose to be the genius in this friendship.

“I know how much the suspense is killing you. But little by little we’ll get our answer.” Michelle smiles confidently but inside her mind, she knows she’s on a time limit.

‘For both of our sakes.’ She lastly thought  before both of them have to call it a night.

* * *

“Why did you do that?” Gogo glares at her and Honey Lemon’s computer, mainly at the rich man.

“Well-“ He tried to form a sentence, that won’t lead him to being dead, in the hands of a strong and pissed off short woman.

Fred told his story of today to his friends, which most aren’t approval of this coming event. Knowing his social personality, he befriended the one person that they don’t very well, which will lead them to hang out with each other, and eventually he’ll carelessly invite her to the group. And out of everyone he befriended, it had to be Michelle Shen: Karmi’s best friend and another person who’s also trying to expose Big Hero 6.

“You guys and Karmi have classes everyday, which leaves me and Michelle to be by ourselves bored to no end. So I thought that I could be her friend and we can hangout until your classes are over. Plus she looked pretty lonely then.” The beanie wearer usually kills time chilling at his mansion or go to town with hero duty. But after that conversation with the small artist yesterday, he wants to help her. Also...

“She friends with Karmi. The girl we need to keep away from finding out our _secret identities_.”

“Come on! Didn’t you say that we need to keep an eye on them?” He unconsciously raises his voice a bit.

“Yeah. From a distance.” The Korean furrows her brows in agitation.

“Maybe she’s not really into finding out our secrets in the first place. Maybe she’s only doing it because it’s for the sake of a best friend since she’s living with her.” His voice subtly rose in volume. Hiro, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon immediately notice something was off with their rich friend. After meeting the artist for a This is very strange course of action, even for someone as laid-back as him.

“But we don’t know anything about her, really.” Hiro intervenes carefully. “Our best source is Karmi but we know she’s not the kind to easily spill.”

“We don’t know her _completely_.” Fred rebuttal quickly that the boy flinched a bit. “She’s a genius artist, a part-time student at SFAI, Karmi’s best friend, and the complete opposite of her physically and personality.”

“Why are even defending her?” Gogo shoots another question with annoyance of this conversation. “You guys only talked once and now you and her are instant buddies?”

“I don’t know. It could be because she’s actually a nice person unlike the bio-girl, or that she’s an amazing artist to have as a friend, or the fact she’s not a SFIT student and is someone I can hang out with who doesn’t have classes to be busy with.” The group chat went suddenly quiet. Everyone was caught off guard by Fred’s change in behavior, Gogo was even taken back by this.

“Freddie,” Honey Lemon cautiously grab the comic book lover’s attention. She gaze at him with pity in her eyes. “I get that you’re happy about being friends with Michelle, but she could still have the intention of spying on us. Whether she’s with Karmi or not, we just have to be careful around her.”

Fred exhales air, releasing the tension that’s been building up in his muscles.

“Sorry guys, especially to you Gogo.” The Korean nods her head with guilt in her eyes. “It’s just I finally found someone who’s like me. Yeah, I’m always up for science stuff and the inventions you guys make, but I can’t fully understand how you guys do it— I’m not a science genius like you guys. When I talked to Michelle… maybe there’s someone who interested in the same stuff I like; superheroes, comic books, all the Kentucky Kaiju movies.” His eyes shifted away from the camera still ashame for blowing up on them.

“Hey, we get it.” Hiro responds with sympathy for the non-SFIT student. He, at one point, had been there when he was attending the high school. Being the only youngest student to be attending there (and present), and only having Tadashi to talk to during lunch. He always wonder if there’s anyone that was around his age and have the same interest as him, with science... and possibly bot fighting. If he had someone like that before SFIT, he would be stoked to have someone in common with him as a friend. “We know there’s some stuff that we don’t understand, and you just need someone to relate.”

“Sorry Fred.” Go go focus her screen on the laid-back man. “It’s just everything is being strange. Some random girl shows up at our school, claiming to be Karmi’s best friend, and Professor Granville allowing her to stay on campus like she’s an actual student here… I guess overall it’s weird seeing someone aloof as Karmi to be with another person, and is the complete opposite of her.”

The youngest member raised his eyebrows at the last sentence.

“Now that you mentioned… Gogo, a while ago you told me she doesn’t have any friends.”

“She doesn’t, in SFIT at least. Her high school days are completely unknown to me, or anyone else.”

“Actually, Michelle told me that they been friends since elementary school, third grade to be specific.” He adds in his information from the girl of the subject. Everyone is reeling their heads at this point.

On one half it would make sense as to why the biotech genius is hanging out with the artist and not acting snappy towards her, and Michelle’s allowance into the school. But the latter is the source is from Michelle, not from Karmi herself for any confirmation.

“You serious?”

“I can assure you of that. The way she told me isn’t someone who would lie about a important memory.” The beanie wearer grin with pride and completely trusting his new friend.

Everyone besides Fred were in deep thought with each other deciding what they’re gonna do. Each making eye contacts and making different facial expression. Hiro eyeing with anticipation at Gogo who furrowed her brows and placing a hand on her chin, Honey Lemon’s green eyes shifted to Wasabi’s eyes, both unsure what to think, and Fred overall just tilt his head in confusion as well as raising an eyebrow at the group chat. After switching glances with one another, the four of the member of Big Hero 6 made a decision.

“Alright, she can join us.” The Korean finalize her approval. “But you’re gonna have to tell us any news you got on her. A new friend in exchange for new info, got it?”

“Got it.” Fred scoot his seat back to do a brief victory whisper, pumping a fist in the air with a excited smile.

“And if anything suspicious going on, Honey Lemon can still concoct that amnesia smoke bomb.”


	8. The Non-SFIT Duo

“Video games or comic books?”

“Comic books.”

“Winter or Summer?”

“Fall first and then winter.” 

“Anti-heroes or anti-protagonists?”

“...Anti-heroes… They’re not super evil but they had their heroic moments.”

After the weekend, the secret superheroes decided to let the new girl into their group. But their deal still stand that Fred will be spying on her, suspecting that she is doing the same on them. Despite all of the suspicions, the man still wanted to make the girl as comfortable around him and the school. And what better way to than to do his own tour of SFIT. Within their little adventure he started a game of 20 Questions.

“So if you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Fred asks another question to the petite artist. “

...So many to choose…” Michelle looks up to the ceiling of the hallway the two are walking down to. Although she already gotten the tour from Karmi, she didn’t had the heart to decline his offer and explain why. But she’ll take this as an opportunity and get whatever hints she can get out of her companion. “I guess, either… Flying or mind-reading. Traveling around the world would be so much cooler than an riding an airplane.”

“What about the second one?”

“I’m just saying that because I tend to be a bit nosey sometimes.” She shyly grin at her second choice in power.

“Interesting…” He shifted his eyes away to a near wall. ‘Mind-reading… better keep that in check.’

“So what about you?”

“O-Oh…! I guess…” He could simply say fire, right? It’s vague enough to not be associated to his kaiju costume. “...fire power would be pretty cool.”

“Really? How come?” Shoot. 

“Uhhh, A convenient way tooo deal with the, cold weather.” Internally Fred cringe and pray that he didn’t slip up.

Michelle on the other hand was maybe reading that answer too deep. Her blue eyes scan for any abnormality. But finds nothing to keep mental notes. “I guess that would be a nice power to have.”

After that, the awkward silent creeped it’s way toward the two Non-SFIT pairing. Both are already hating the tension between them, knowing this is going nowhere for both parties.

The beanie wearer began looking for anything that could spark another conversation. His light blue eyes moving everywhere and never on the artist. During his searching, he finds a door with the room number near it.

“Look at that!” He awkwardly announce and thrust his arm forward to point at the door. Michelle flinch due to his sudden outburst and strange transition. Fred then speed walk ahead of the artist to open it for her, while she on the other hand just stopped in her track and stare at him questionably.

“You might wanna check this out.” He suggest with eagerness and his head directing to the left, inside of the room. At first she was suspicious of what he’s trying to until she approach the entrance and took a peek inside.

Inside the room stored a few students testing out various pieces of technology, some viewing from computers, others have helmets with a black visor over their eyes and two remotes in each hands. The people with the helmets were moving around with the remotes, motioning interesting gestures where the world outside of the visor would see them making weird dance moves, but whatever they’re seeing must be incredible. Michelle recognized this room as the virtual reality room, remembering this from Karmi’s version of the school tour. 

“In here, this is where you’re taken to a whole new world but only, with your eyes.” Her eyes widen in amazement how the room is moderately spacious and the how the school has bought (most likely invented) so many of eight stations. She was first hesitant walking in until her tour guide usher her in.

“This is cool.” She kept in her composure, but internally the girl is practically bouncing off the heels of her feet excited. “We passed by this room before, Karmi and I.”

Fred looks down at the girl incredulously. “You don’t know what you’re missing out!” He exclaims as he scans the room for any unoccupied headgear and motion sticks. He made a noise of success to himself, finding an open station that is a couple of feet away from the the corner of the room. Speed walking with eagerness, the rich man grabbed the helmet and motioned his friend to come here. She did as she was motioned.

“Can we actually…?”

“I don’t see why not. I usually chill here before my friends are supposed to leave class. And plus, since they’re okay with me here….” Michelle lean her torso back warily. “They should be okay with you!” He passed the helmet to her so he can then grab the two connected motion remotes. The petite girl carefully placed the helmet over her head, the visor covering her eyes as she then was given the remotes.

The screen lights up automatically when the sensors went off when Michelle put it on. The first thing that her eyes see are many software options; Underwater environment, Fruit Ninja game, Auto Sketchbook- 

Hold up! The artist tap on the icon that had a paintbrush on it.

The screen virtually transition a dark purple room, and then a bunch of art tool icons appeared on the right side of the visor, all stack together. Michelle automatically picked the pencil and began sketching the basic shapes. As soon the sketching is finish within the timespan of three minutes, her smile stretched farther when she tapped the paintbrush icon and begin swinging the motion stick around. What she doesn’t notice that Fred grin with amusement as he watch her create whatever she envision under the eyewear visor.

Speaking of Fred… the man got curious and became eager to witness the progressive work of an artist. He begin walking around the virtual room in search of a certain piece of machinery. He ask the students that were in the room where he could find a mod console, and possibly how to use it. After explaining, one student pointed where it was and briefly instructed the comic book lover how to operate it. Fred then turned the power on and selected which helmet to have be display on the room’s projector.

The projector shines a light, revealing a projectile of Michelle’s (almost complete) creation. Everyone in the room gotten curious and turn their heads… and they were stuck in a trance, watching the artist at her work. 

When the petite Chinese finished her work, she removed the helmet when she heard whispers and praises from her surroundings.

“Incredible…!”

“How long has she been working this? I get a feeling it didn’t take her long, for a realistic painting like that.”

“She must be a SFAI student…” One student grumbled.

Michelle looks over to see her artwork in a larger digital scale than the helmet’s visions.

On display shown a human head. The concept may be simple of a mannequin’s head, but the details is what struck the students. The shading gradient are real, the facial details in the eyelashes that were natural and full, the pair irises shine jade green, and there were constellations of freckles across the fair skin color of the artwork. The lips were a natural pink, small but plump.

She quickly turn her head to Fred, who gave two thumbs up her. The small girl return the gesture with the a small smile.

“Marvelous work, Michelle.” A familiar voice enters the room. The spectators move aside for their Dean to get a closer look.

“Miz- Professor Granville. Hi.” 

“I see you’re familiar with our VR lab.” The older woman smirk as she lifts her chin. 

“Yeah. It’s a lot like sculpturing, but digitally.”

“You can stay as long until school hours is over. But I came to tell you that Karmi is looking for you.” Granville then looks over to the beanie wearer who walk to the two to be next to the small girl. “My good guess your friends are looking for you too.”

“Guess we should gooooooo then.” Fred side-step from the Dean, the artist then follow suit after giving her a brief wave goodbye.

The non-SFIT duo left the room, leaving artwork on display.

“Well that was fun tour.” Michelle breaks the ice between the two. Even though she already got layout of the place, her companion has a fun perspective on it.

“What?! I haven’t shown you the whole school yet! there’s the food room, the Tester room-- a.k.a where I hang out with my friends, and the  _ food room _ .” 

“Well…” She trails off when she see the pleading look on Fred’s face. As much as she came to like him, she need to find a quicker way to infiltrate into the group. She’ll have time to think of something tomorrow. “We just have to do this some other time.” 

The older man on the other hand is a bit bummed out about the ending of their hangout. He ask one last thing that (he hope) could temporarily postpone her leave. “Sounds like a plan… you probably wanna hang with your BFF as much as you can.”

“Well yeah. Karmi’s the reason I’m here… and she’s the only friend I have here.”

“Uh! Hello!” Fred gasps and pretends to be offended by that sentence. He loudly place a hand over his heart and use the other to wave frantically in front of the girl. “You’re also friends with the coolest guy here, non-SFIT duo! Remember?”

Michelle was a bit puzzled at what he was talking about, but then she remember the conversation they had yesterday. The memory brought a small smile to her face. “You’re right about that.” 

“Also…” The comic book lover spoke with caution that he hope won’t be disastrous. “You could meet the others. Honey Lemon wants to apologizes to you, again… in person.”

“Maybe…” The artist could make this turn into a invitation into the targeted group… but that’s way too soon. She can’t act on it immediately, or she’ll be already be caught in suspicions.

Or?

“...I could meet up with her myself. When she’s free, doesn’t mind, or… doesn’t...mind it. Base on what you told me yesterday, she sounds like a great person.”

“I could text her.”

“That, would be awesome.” The artist gives Fred a thumb up.

The non-SFIT continue their conversation until one of them receive a text from their respective friend(s). They both said their goodbyes and parted with smiles on each of their faces.


End file.
